Anglo-Swiss baritone Richard Burkhard is a singer-actor of chameleon-like versatility and creativity. Utilising his charismatic stage presence and the beauty and technical prowess of his voice to full effect, he enjoys a reputation for bringing life and depth of character to his roles.
His repertoire encompassing roles as varied as Ford Falstaff, Tonio Pagliacci, Don Alfonso Così fan tutte, Harry Easter Street Scene, PapagenoDie Zauberflöte, Garibaldo Rodelinda and Amfortas Parsifal, Richard has regular appearances at English National Opera, Opera North, Scottish Opera, Garsington Opera and Opera Holland Park to his name as well as productions at Teatro Real Madrid, Palau de les Arts Valencia, Opéra de Monte Carlo, Opera National de Lorraine in Nancy, Bregenz Festival, Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre and New Zealand Opera.
This season he sings Ford and the Vicar Albert Herring for Opera North, Bottom A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Garsington Opera and Count GilIl segreto di Susanna for Opera Holland Park. Last season included role debuts as Forester Cunning Little Vixen (Opera North) and Don Bartolo Il barbiere di Siviglia (Garsington).
Since 2020, he has also sung Junius The Rape of Lucretia in his German debut with Kammerakademie Potsdam, Harry Easter at Opéra de Monte Carlo (previously at Teatro Real Madrid), Faninal Der Rosenkavalier and Don Fernando Fidelio for Garsington, Felix in the world premiere of Tom Coult’s Violet for Aldeburgh Festival, Theatre Director in Donizetti’s Viva la Diva for Buxton Festival, and Grigory The Bear, Major-GeneralPirates of Penzance and Sir Joseph HMS Pinafore for OHP.
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Verdi Falstaff (Ford)
Opera North (September 2023)
... Richard Burkhard (a brilliantly sung Ford)...
Richard Morrison, The Times ****
...Richard Burkhard’s Ford especially luxurious casting; both sang with their customary finesse and acted with the skill which so many of us have enjoyed at Garsington and other houses.
Melanie Eskenazi, Music OMH
Richard Burkhard brings a dash of Verdian panache to Ford’s mock-serious jealousy aria...
Sarah Noble, The Guardian ****
Richard Burkhard is ideal for the pompous paterfamilias Ford...
Robert Beale, The Arts Desk
Alice’s husband Ford (Richard Burkhard) is admirably forceful...
Nicholas Kenyon, The Telegraph ****
Richard Burkhard delivers Ford’s ‘Jealousy’ aria in authentic Verdian style.
Geoffrey Mogridge, Ilkley Gazette
Rossini Il barbiere di Siviglia (Dr Bartolo)
Garsington Opera (June 2023)
It’s left to Richard Burkhard as an uptight Doctor Bartolo to project the fullest characterisation of the evening, not to mention excellent patter-singing in “A un dottor”.
John Allison, The Telegraph
Richard Burkhard’s Dr Bartolo was just about as likeable an old bore as you could wish for, his devoted perusal of his stamp collection and his eventual acceptance that Rosina will not be his wife both convincingly done. ‘A un dottor della mia sorte’ was... sung with exact diction and elegant style.
Melanie Eskenazi, Music OMH
...Richard Burkhard gives Bartolo a suggestion of menace amid his foolishness.
George Hall, The Stage
Anglo-Swiss baritone Richard Burkhard sings Dr Bartolo with tremendous presence and charisma, drawing in the audience’s sympathies when Almaviva finally thwarts him in his quest for Rosina.
Simon Heffer, The Telegraph
Sullivan The Pirates of Penzance (Major-General Stanley)
Opera Holland Park (August 2021)
With effortless style, Richard Burkhard pattered precisely through the Major-General’s tongue-twisters and cut a touching figure as his clockwork oomph began to unwind.
Peter Reed, Opera Magazine
If I’ve heard the ingénue lead sung this well only rarely, in the case of Richard Burkhard’s Major-General Stanley I can safely say never. This under-valued baritone, last seen as Faninal in Garsington’s Der Rosenkavalier, is one of the UK greats and should be celebrated as such. He had a giant clockwork mechanism in his back (yes, he was a toy soldier) and needed winding up at key moments to help get him through his flawless patter song. Brilliant.
Mark Valencia, Bachtrack
Strauss Der Rosenkavalier (Faninal)
Garsington Opera (June 2021)
Richard Burkhard’s nervy, robustly sung Faninal
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times
“Richard Burkhard’s Faninal was a more sympathetic figure than usual, his aspirations more sad than contemptible, and his singing nobly rather than ingratiatingly phrased.”
Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH*****
Among the smaller parts, Richard Burkhard was a hilariously parvenu, resonantly sung Faninal…
Hugh Canning, Opera Magazine
CD: Eccles Semele (Juno), Academy of Ancient Music
AAM012 (January 2021)
Richard Burkhard and Helen Charlston mine some divine comic scenes as the king of the gods and his jealous wife Juno.
Richard Fairman, Financial Times****
Richard Burkhard captures Congreve’s sensual yet thoughtful Jupiter, texturing every word.
BBC Music Magazine (Recording of the Month)
…leading to a lovely duet with Jupiter (the excellent Richard Burkhard), ‘If this be Love’.
Colin Clarke, Rhinegold
Richard Burkhard, assigned the opera’s most Italianate music, sounds slightly inhibited reassuring Semele in his first aria but quickly grows in ardour.
Gramophone
Richard Burkhard brings to Jupiter the suavity of voice and silky touch of the seducer, giving the delicious “Lay thy doubts” the lightness of spirit it needs.
Opera Magazine
Weill Street Scene (Harry Easter), Opéra de Monte Carlo
(February 2020)
Harry Easter (abusive boss, Sam's rival) is unpleasantly sweet, clingy and dances to perfection thanks to Richard Burkhard.
Florence Lethurgez, Ôlyrix
Richard Burkhard proves to be excellent at Harry Easter
Emmanuel Andrieu, Opera Online
Weill Street Scene (Harry Easter), Teatro Real Madrid
BelAir Classiques DVD BAC162 (November 2019)
...the slick sophisticated economy of actor-singers such as the baritone Richard Burkhard, outstanding as Rose's predatory boss.
Christopher Webber, Opera Magazine
Eccles Semele (Jupiter), Cambridge Handel Opera Company
(November 2019)
All the vocal soloists were excellent... The baritone Richard Burkhard was a convincing Jupiter, smooth and resonant
Sandra Bowdler, Opera Magazine
Wolf-Ferrari Il segreto di Susanna (Count Gil)
Scottish Opera (September 2019)
Clare Presland and Richard Burkhard reprised their roles from Opera Holland Park’s summer production with beguiling vivacity and charm
Rowena Smith, The Guardian****
Wolf-Ferrari Il segreto di Susanna (Count Gil)
Opera Holland Park (July 2019)
…the leads are beautifully played by Richard Burkhard and Clare Presland
Hugh Canning, The Times
Designs by Takis establish an atmosphere of postwar dolce vita, and alongside two wholly engaging principals — Richard Burkhard alternately blustery and burnished as Gil, and Clare Presland’s kittenish, beguiling Susanna
Richard Bratby, The Spectator
Richard Burkhard neatly layered Gil's jealous outrage with moments of pure lust for his exasperating wife; his singing steered clear of simple caricature and both singers knocked sparks off each other in their blazing row, one of opera's finest
Peter Reed, Opera Magazine
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